Diagnosis
Most of the species occurring in British waters are either neritic or benthic. Three species of the Cypridinidae are regularly encountered pelagically and these are keyed out.
Ostracods with the caudal furca dorsal to the anus. Kornicker (1975) distinguished this suborder from other two on the basis of the characters of the seventh limb, which in this suborder is verniform, reduced or absent, the first claw on the caudal furca being on the anterior corner, and with the exception of the Azygocyprininae the median naulpiar eye is always present.
Remarks
According to Kornicker's classification , the suborder contains five families, Cylindroleberididae, Rutidermatidae, Sarsiellidae, Philomedidae and Cypridinidae.